Envoys Task Nigeria On 2011 Polls

Akanimo Sampson

Envoys Task Nigeria On 2011 Polls

HEADS of foreign missions in Nigeria have said that the international community is expecting Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, to overseer the most credible elections ever in the country in 2011.

A news report by AkanimoReports says the envoys who were on a visit to Rivers State on the invitation of Governor Chibuike Amaechi, claimed that anything short of a well organised transparent polls will not do Nigeria any good.

Speaking in Government House, Port Harcourt, on behalf of the diplomats, the Ambassador of Czech Republic to Nigeria, Mr Jaroslav Siro, according to the Acting Chief Press Secretary to Governor Amaechi, Mr. Blessing Wikina, said Rivers state and the Niger Delta are very important to Nigeria, which according to the envoy, is a major economic as well as business partner to their countries.

The Amaechi spokesperson claimed in an on-line statement to our correspondent that Mr Siro said the International Community appreciated the handling of the recent constitutional problem in Nigeria and hoped that future issues would be addressed maturely, especially the forthcoming general election in 2011, which they hope to be conducted in a transparent manner.

''He commended the Rivers State Government for the initiative of their visit, and for what they are doing in the state, and urged the people to support the governor in achieving his laudable objectives'', Mr. Wikina said.

Amaechi however, used the visit of the envoys to point out one of the reasons he goes out to public places at night without his usual tight security cover is to reassure residents of Port Harcourt, the state capital, that peace and night life has been restored to the state.

The governor was said to have stated this Sunday night during a dinner for some of the visiting foreign Ambassadors and envoys at the Government House, insisting that his free movement at anytime of the day is an indication that the security challenges were virtually over.

“If the security challenge is as bad as I hear, I will not take the risk of driving out in the night without escort”, Governor Amaechi reportedly said, and cited instances of his late night movements to visit places and people.

''The governor emphasized that as a young man, he attends night clubs sometimes, stressing that “I do that also to reassure the citizens that they are protected, first by God, and through human instruments put on ground by the state government for the safety of their lives'', Mr. Wikina said.

Amaechi was full of appreciation for the envoys for honouring the state with their presence. He is hoping that they will exchange knowledge, which will lead to changing the perception about the state, and that the assumption that whatever happened in the Niger Delta was in Port Harcourt was wrong.

He gave an example of the bomb blast in Delta State which was ironically said to be in Port Harcourt in some quarters, while the kidnap incidences in the neighbouring Abia State was also painfully attributed to be in Rivers State.

ENDS

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